Protective cases for personal computers are well known in the art, such protective cases more usually being in the form of a wallet, the interior of which has been suitably padded.
Those cases for personal computers have found consumer acceptance, in that they are light in weight, usually flexible, and are easily stored within a briefcase or suitcase, and, in the main, perform admirably in providing protection for a personal computer, the usual weight of which is in the order of 10 pounds.
A weight of 10 pounds, when dropped onto a hard surface from a height of 30 inches, can, however, produce a force of 1100 G or more, a large proportion of that G force being transmitted directly through the side walls of the protective case, this resulting in damage to the personal computer itself, even though the personal computer does not impact directly on the hard surface. Further, the protective case offers relatively little protection to the personal computer in the event that the briefcase or suitcase is dropped down a flight of stairs.
Attempts to increase the extent of protection afforded by the protective case have resulted in either making the protective case itself more impact resistant, or, by increasing the extent of padding provided by the protective case. In those instances, either a weight or a volume penalty is imposed by the reinforcement of the protective case.
The problem of possible damage to the personal computer upon dropping of either the protective case or the briefcase or suitcase within which the protective case is confined becomes further exaggerated in the event that the impact is on a corner of the personal computer, instead of being evenly distributed along one of the lateral edge faces thereof.